


The World on a String

by speccygeekgrrl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-17
Updated: 2010-02-17
Packaged: 2017-10-07 08:34:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/speccygeekgrrl/pseuds/speccygeekgrrl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They've been having this conversation for weeks now, in bits and pieces, and finally it was coming down to the heart of the matter. The last day before Neal walks free.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The World on a String

**Author's Note:**

> Beta-read by the ever-spectacular asimaiyat.

It only figured that the last days of Neal's captivity were spent on something as dull as mortgage fraud. He didn't seem restless at all, and that worried Peter more than he could say why. Neal was also worried-- something had to be wrong because Peter hadn't told him to get his feet off the desk and it had been a half an hour already. Actually, it was easy to figure out why: Peter was too busy staring at the anklet to make a fuss about the desk.

"What are you going to do?" Peter asked. They'd been having this conversation for weeks now, in bits and pieces, and finally it was coming down to the heart of the matter. "The very first thing you're going to do."

"I'm going to have lunch at this little place in the Village Mozzie keeps telling me about that's just outside the radius," Neal answered promptly. "You know, I'm never going to look at this city the same way again. I'm always going to divide it into 'inside the radius' and 'outside the radius' now."

"I'm sure the distinction will fade soon enough. God knows you pushed the boundaries whenever you could," Peter said. Neal pressed a hand over his heart, mocking wounded.

"That's not fair. I've behaved perfectly for the past seventeen months."

"I wouldn't say _perfectly_, but you have been good." Finally Peter reached over and flicked at Neal's feet. "Off the desk. What then?"

"Then I'm going to say goodbye to June, grab my suitcase and get to LaGuardia for a 4:15 flight to Paris. I've missed traveling more than anything."

"Am I going to have to warn the Louvre that you're a free man again?" Peter was only halfway joking. Neal frowned at him.

"You know, they say it takes thirty days to break a bad habit... you've had me under your thumb for 1,460 days. I think you can stop worrying about a relapse."

"I'm never going to stop worrying about you, Neal." The way he said it, it sounded more like a reassurance than a threat.

"Will it help if I send postcards?" Neal grinned brightly. "Instead of forging anything, I'll do miniatures and send them to you."

"We'll have to put them up on the fridge." Peter resisted the urge to laugh, still feeling too serious about the matter. "And after Paris?"

"I don't know yet. Europe in general? I want to stop in Amsterdam and Prague and Vienna, but I'm not sure what order I'll do them in." Neal studied Peter's face, understanding the question that he wasn't quite asking. "I'll be back in New York by Christmas. June wouldn't forgive me if I missed the holidays." Bingo-- Peter relaxed just enough to make Neal sure of his answer. "And I bet El wouldn't be too pleased with me, either."

"She'd be crushed -- you're her favorite decoration. Not that I'd say no to a nice quiet holiday without the two of you setting up party central in my living room."

"Well, you have two months to brace yourself."

"You could cause a lot of trouble in Europe in two months."

"I could. But I won't." Neal leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the desk, and stared at Peter. "There's no way I can prove to you that I'm reformed unless I get out there and don't do anything, right? Believe me, Peter. I'm not going to give you any reason to come after me again." Peter started to say something, but Neal held up one hand. "You're just going to have to wait for me to come visit instead of stalking me."

"I never stalked you."

"No, stalking is what you did to Elizabeth. So if you start, I might get the wrong impression." Neal smiled. "I have to come back to New York anyways. I got a job offer that I'd be crazy to refuse."

"Yeah? What's that?" Peter had a mental list of people Neal had dazzled, bespelled, or otherwise impressed, and quite a few of them could have offered Neal a position doing anything from modeling menswear to validating art for an auction house. There were lots of opportunities for a man of Neal's many talents, plenty of perfectly legal things he could do, but would they be interesting enough to keep his focus the way he'd been focused for the past four years?

"You already know what it is. I'm going to accept the FBI's offer and stay on as a consultant who isn't actually owned by the Bureau." That smile widened when Peter suddenly sat up straight, finally smiling too.

"Took you long enough to tell me! I've been wondering ever since Hughes presented you with the paperwork."

"I could have told you... but it's more fun to watch you worry," Neal said blithely, standing up and pulling his suit jacket straight. "Now that you know, I might as well go inform the boss." Before he disappeared down the hall, he winked at Peter. Peter rolled his eyes, pretending for the benefit of no one that he was immune to Neal's charm, and reached for his cell phone. El would be just as happy to hear about Neal's decision, and at least as happy to not have to hear Peter worrying out loud about him any more.


End file.
